Keeping a Proper Perspective…… As You Press Toward the Mark

As a growing Christian, we want more of Jesus…. So we press in, and press towards that mark for the high calling of God in our lives…. and then it is like we come to the top of the hill – or mountain – and we see farther then we’ve ever seen before…. and we breathe in fresh new air…. “Oh, this is great!”…..

But life goes on – and if you think Satan (II Peter 5:8 – your adversary the devil) likes you being in a new place, a higher place – think again!…. Because he’s already working on some tactic to get you back down….. And it can get to the point that it is like “I thought I had grown into a new level – but things are not working – not even as good as they were!… And after a couple of weeks or so of this, we feel “distant” from God….and we begin to”think it strange” (I Peter 4:12) – strange concerning the things happening to us and the place we are at…. (Can you “identify” in some way with that?)

Because I have “been there and done that”- definitely more than once or twice – I thought it good to share the following “Psalm” that God dropped into my spirit many years ago as I was coming out of one of those times. It was at a time in my life – that I was just beginning to see – that as we pass along the way pressing in to know Jesus better – we will UNDOUBTEDLY ENCOUNTER some feelings and things that are strange – and uncomfortable for us….. But what I “saw” at the time He dropped this Psalm into my heart – gave me insight and understanding that I had not had before…. an understanding that helped me keep things in more of a proper perspective every time thereafter that I began to experience a time like that …..So, I now share it with the hope that it will also give helpful insight to you – as you press in to know Jesus better……

BORNE OUT OF THE FIRE

We desire to go on with God…… But what we do not see is that we are carrying things that cannot go with us – things which would hold us back – from going to the next place of His glory…. But because we do not see all of this in proper perspective… (so much we do not understand!)…. Indeed it does seem as though we “look through a glass darkly”…. And thus we urgently plead, “Lord help me!”

And of course He is always there to lead us…. (He can’t take us unless we ask!) And ask, we do – not knowing or seeing – that between where we are now – and the place we desire to be….. is the FIRE or the RAGING WATERS! We’ve asked and so …. He leads us out……. but before long, we begin to think.. “this must surely be a mistake!”….. I mean – we were wanting to go upward – to “get better!”. ….. But instead – here we are in a frightening place!

Now, water and fire can both destroy and wreak havoc…. But carefully tended and directed – they cleanse and ready the ground for new growth….. So that in the time that follows, out comes a thing for God’s use and our “beauty.”

Then through tears of joy – and with strengthened devotion – we look back – and our understanding is lightened!…. There is no other way – else He would surely bring us…… But should we come another way …. I mean – that He would just “zap”us!…. We’d “be there” alright – and “there” would be “perfect!”….

But who would He be??… Would we even know Him??…. You see, there is so much “distance” between who He is and who we are – a world of difference – that it takes a lifetime just to begin to understand…. And how could we ever – have a proper view of Him – if we had not seen the things that “fill up the way” – between our mortality and Him?….

Sure, now we see through a glass darkly…. but each new level we press to brings us closer to His light – and we grow in our personal knowledge of Jesus Christ …. Then from this new place of glory….. I see Him more clearly… and do better understand…the futility of the unregenerate man….